Now that spring has finally sprung, it is safe to assume that everyone wants to flock outdoors to enjoy the beautiful weather that has taken way too long to arrive! The long winter has given people plenty of time to inspire and woo those stuck indoors with tantalizing visions of gardens, cookouts, and breathing in the fresh air. Finally, everyone is free to embrace the warmth, get their kids out of the house, and seize the day with loads of fun outdoor activities.

Spring is also a great time to acknowledge the outdoors, and really be aware of our impact on the environment with our activities. We want to make the most out of this beautiful season without damaging the planet that sustains it all. To help preserve the planet and still have fun, here are a couple of ideas for staying green while enjoying spring!

Go Hiking

Going hiking is a great activity for spring! It gets you out of the house, allows you to enjoy nature while you walk through it, and keeps you moving and exercising. Plus, it can be a fun family activity for everyone to enjoy. No matter where you live, there are plenty of beautiful parks and nature trails nearby. If you don’t know of any yourself, ask a friend, or check Google. You are sure to find tons of great options to choose from!

Biking Instead of Driving

Want to make an activity out of running errands? Opt out of driving, and go biking! It’s an excellent way to enjoy the gorgeous weather, knock out your errands, and to exercise while having fun. Not to mention, you will be doing the environment a huge favor by eliminating burning fossil fuels and using a bike.

Create Arts and Crafts on Rainy Days

Rainy days during spring are inevitable. But, that doesn’t mean that you can’t be inspired by spring and have fun! If you have kids and want to keep them entertained and away from the TV on a rainy day, try doing some fun arts and crafts with them. We suggest using our PlastiSpan EPS foam boards as a base, and cutting out fun spring shapes like flowers, bees, etc. From there, use glitter, paint, sequins, markers, or whatever else your creative heart desires to make beautiful spring masterpieces with your little ones! It’s a great boredom buster, and it conserves energy by keeping your kids away from electronics. We’ll call that a win!

Plant a Garden

A great way to get you and/or your kids involved in spring is by planting a garden! Whether it consists of vegetables, fruits, or flowers, planting a garden will help teach your children how to nurture plants, how they grow, and the importance of plants in our everyday lives and nature. Not to mention, it will keep them busy and out of the house, and it will add some liveliness to your yard!

Don’t have time to maintain a full garden? Opt to plant a tree in your yard instead. It will take less maintenance than a full garden, will help add oxygen back into the air, and still teach valuable lessons about the environment to you and/or your children.

Visit an Animal Shelter

Do you or your family love animals? Show that love by visiting an animal shelter this spring! Even if you do not want to adopt an animal, you can still visit to show those animals some love and affection, or even make a day out of it by volunteering! If you do want to adopt an animal, all the better! Adopting an animal gives that animal a second chance in a loving home, and eliminates the number of animals being bought by breeding mills. You will make that animal so incredibly happy by giving them a forever home, and be doing the shelter a service by giving them more room to take in more rescues. Bonus: you will be assisting in keeping more animals in need off of the streets and on their way to finding their “fur-ever” families!

After what has seemed like an endless winter, we have finally reached a peak of warmer weather. Spring is upon us! Around this time of year, we often find ourselves going through everything in our lives and cleaning out what is no longer useful, relevant, or healthy for us. That way, we can make way for all of the new, wonderful things that the rest of the year will gift us with a “clean” slate.

With spring cleaning in mind, this is the perfect opportunity to ditch all of those cleaning tactics that harm the environment, and exchange them for more eco-friendly options. Here are a couple of green spring cleaning ideas!

Use Energy Efficient Lightbulbs

Do you have any lightbulbs around your home that need changing? Instead of replacing them with standard incandescent lightbulbs, replace them with CFLs or LEDs! They are way more energy efficient, and last much longer. The environment will thank you for the energy you conserved!

Hang Dry Laundry

Want to conserve even more energy? Skip using the dryer this spring, and hang dry your clothes in the beautiful, warm weather! You will be using less electricity to power your dryer, save some cash on your energy bills, and have the opportunity to soak up the fresh air while taking care of your laundry. We’ll call that a win!

Use Cloth Towels Instead of Paper

Using paper towels to clean your home are a huge waste. Trees are being cut, stripped, and destroyed to create these, only to be thrown into a landfill afterwards! To lessen the amount of paper towels used, consider cleaning with reusable, cloth towels. They’ll have the same cleaning effect, but can be washed and used again and again!

Recycle/Donate Old Clothes

If you’re going through your closet and find some pieces of your wardrobe that you no longer want, please do not throw them out! Consider donating them to Salvation Army, Planet Aid, or gifting them to a friend. The more kept out of landfills and the more being recycled, the happier and healthier the planet is!

Switch Your Insulation

Now that the cold weather is diminishing, it’s the perfect time to assess your current insulation situation, and consider changing it. Is your current insulation energy-efficient? Does it save you money on your energy bills, while also keeping your home cozy year-round? If you answered no to both of those questions, we have some solutions for you! One basic product that our company offers is our Enerspan insulation. It’s an EPS foam insulation that works to eliminate thermal bridging, so that your home can retain heating and cooling. That way, you won’t be losing any energy or money while keeping your home cozy, which kills two birds with one stone! If you want something a bit more extravagant, consider renovating your home with the Advantage ICF System! It’s an EPS foam insulation system that works even harder to trap in the cool and warm air, while also eliminating sound through walls. In the end, you’ll have a comfortable, cozy, and soundproof home that conserves energy!